Riposte (The Redivivus Trilogy Book 2) (39 page)

A nervous excitement passed through John and Reams as Kate disappeared over the top of the wall. “You’re next old buddy,” John said, slapping Reams on the shoulder.

“No way I’m leaving you down here. Anyway, I’d probably just have to come and get you like last time,” Reams replied.

Despite the rib, John heard the sincerity in his voice. “I insist. Besides, what could possibly happen, right?” John said, knowing Reams’ loosely held belief that their real-life apocalyptic nightmare was bound by the same dogma prescribed by Hollywood.

“Now why would you say some stupid shit like that? You know every time someone says…” Reams began, but was cut off mid-sentence.

“Dude, seriously. Climb. Dock Boggs isn’t going to hold their attention forever,” John stated with an air of finality.

Less than a minute later, John was on top of the wall and dropping down next to Reams and Kate inside the barricade.

A Hispanic soldier stood on an elevated platform and pulled the rope up as soon as they were all inside. A moment later, he and another soldier approached them. Although they were both armed, neither had their weapons trained on them. When the soldiers grew close, Kate spoke. “Thank you so much. I’m not sure what we would have done if you two hadn’t been there to help us.”

Garza opened his mouth to reply, but the loud bang of a door being thrown open behind them stopped him short. “What in the Holy Hell is going on out here!? Which one of you two dipshits turned on the distraction without authorization?” Lt. Weaver bellowed. Several other soldiers followed closely on his heels.

“Great, L.T. himself. Told you it was a bad idea,” Ice muttered under his breath.

Lt. Weaver continued his tirade as he stormed toward Ice and Garza. He had not yet noticed the three newcomers who stood just outside his line of sight, almost wishing they could head back over the wall to face the infected horde rather than find out what this fuming bull had in store for them. “Had to be you, Garza, because Ice would have just blown the damn thing up! I can’t leave a one of you ass clowns alone for five seconds without you—”

“JOHN!” cried a voice from behind the screaming officer. From a distance, the female voice was just loud enough to be heard over the irate lieutenant, though no one standing near the barricade could make out what she said.

John caught sight of the movement and looked in its direction. Recognizing her immediately, he stepped forward, no longer concerned about the soldiers, the officer, or even the infected. Racing toward him with her white lab coat fluttering in the air like an angel’s wings was his longtime friend, Dr. Lin San. Without a thought, John ran to meet her.

Having risked their lives to ensure her safety, John’s sudden movement toward Lin garnered the attention of both Garza and General Montes. While neither was particularly close to Lin, they both rushed to intercept the advancing man all the same. Everyone else stood stock still, confused by the events unfolding around them. As John was closer and had a small head start, he reached Lin first, and they collided in a strong embrace.

Being younger and faster than General Montes, Garza had a good lead on the Brazilian officer. Before anyone realized what was about to happen, Garza had his knife in hand barreling toward the newcomer. When Garza was less than ten feet away, Lin raised her eyes and saw the enraged soldier charging with knife drawn. A look of sheer terror flooded her eyes, and Garza assumed her trepidation was due to the man holding her.

Before Lin’s brain could completely process what was happening, another voice yelled in warning. “John! Behind you!” Kate screamed. Having been fighting to survive in the aftermath of the apocalyptic outbreak for several weeks, John’s reflexes were on a hair trigger. He dove forward instantly, taking Lin with him.

27

October 25, 2015

Carried forward by the momentum of his slashing blow, Garza nearly lost his footing. In a second, he turned and poised for another attack. John rolled onto his back, still holding Lin in a protective embrace.

Before, either man had a chance to unleash the rage evident on their contorted faces, Lin yelled, “Garza! Stop!”

Her voice hit the enraged soldier like an off switch. John watched as all the malice drained from the soldier’s face, leaving only concern and relief in its wake.

“It’s okay. He’s my friend. This is John. The person I told you about,” she said.

Garza dropped the knife and rushed forward to help them up. With a look of fear and confusion in his eyes, he stammered, “I…I’m sorry…I didn’t…”

“It’s okay. It’s my fault. I should have said something. You were only doing what you thought needed to be done to protect her,” John said. “And I see she’s in good hands.”

Lin smiled at John as she wrapped Garza in a tight hug.

General Montes reached them, looking nonplussed by the exchange, as the rest of the assembled group stood motionless, uncertain of how they should react. “Who are these people? You know them, Dr. San?” General Montes asked.

Looking down to the ground, Lin said, “I know him. His name is Dr. John Wild. Before we left Brazil, I called him to warn him about what was going on, and to ask for his help if he could give it.” Lin looked up tentatively, expecting to see the General’s face twisted into anger over her blatant disregard of his order not to contact anyone. Instead, she saw only relief on his face as well. With the threat of violent altercation dissipated, Reams, Kate, and the other soldiers converged on the four standing in the middle of the loose circle.

“Lin, it’s so good to see you,” John said.

Although she knew his words were sincere, she could clearly see the pain in her old friend’s eyes. Seeing only two other people whom she did not know, Lin immediately knew the reason for the pain she saw on his face. Not wanting to ask him about Rebecca and Ava in front of the others, Lin merely pulled into a tight hug, and said, “John, I’m so sorry. This is all so horrible…I don’t know if…”

Her words sounded like part condolence, and part apology. John stopped her before she could finish, wanting her to know that he believed Ava was still alive and that none of this was her fault. “Lin, it’s okay. Everything is going to be okay. I have so much to tell you, as I’m sure you have much to tell me,” John said with a look that radiated the genuine hope he had just discovered. For the first time in longer than she could remember, Lin truly felt like they might have a chance. After a quick round of introductions, the three newcomers followed the others inside Building 18.

28

October 28, 2015

“Run!” Lydia shouted. Her words were nearly lost amongst the sounds of their ragged breathing and the infected mob closing in around them. The two girls did as she said; there was really no other choice.

* * *

Having decided to head to Atlanta, Lydia and the girls scavenged the area around Ava’s house for any supplies that might help them along the way. Lydia found a couple of old machetes in one of the garages near the Wild’s house. After sharpening the blades as best she could, she spent a few hours instructing the girls on what she had learned about combating the infected and how to use the weapons safely. Although she hated the idea of either girl having to fight, she hated the idea of anything happening to them far more. She knew she would do everything in her power to protect them, but it was impossible for her to do so all the time. Lydia knew the reality of the world was such that their lives would depend on their ability to protect themselves sooner or later.

While Lydia understood that the journey would be far easier if they travelled by car, she harbored no delusions about the roads being passable and knew that the engine noise would draw the infected like moths to a flame. As she had been somewhat of a cyclist prior to the outbreak, Lydia knew the substantial distance that could be covered on a bike. She also knew that a good mountain bike would see them through areas far too congested for any automobile. The biggest negative in her mind was the fact that a bicycle of any kind offered no protection from the reaching hands of the infected. That weakness, she reasoned, was offset by the significant increase in maneuverability. Lydia knew the girls would not be capable of covering as much ground as she had been accustomed to in the past, but it would still be far faster than walking. The only problem now was finding the bikes.

After thoroughly scouring the area, they managed to find several adequate adult-sized bikes and a toddler-sized
Dora The Explorer
bike with training wheels.
Don’t kids ever get off the couch anymore?

Frustrated, Lydia said, “Okay, we’ll start on foot and keep an eye out for any means of transportation along the way.”

They finished their preparations just as sunset loomed on the distant horizon. After ensuring that Ava was okay with staying the night in her old house, they set up camp for the night. Much to everyone’s surprise, they awoke after an uneventful night in which each of them was afforded several hours of precious sleep. Without any great fanfare, the three females slipped out of the house just as the first rays of the rising sun became visible.

From the moment she stepped out of her old home, Ava Wild did not look back.

Being well rested, they maintained a brisk pace for the entire morning. While she did not know exactly how far they had travelled, Lydia felt as though they were making good time given that they were on foot. Having long since left the city limits, they enjoyed several hours of rural nothingness. The abandoned cars and other evidence of humanity’s struggle gradually faded behind them. After passing through another small town that was mercifully devoid of any infected they could not simply avoid, they found themselves in a sparsely populated rural area. The terrain was noticeably hillier as they moved farther east. Near the beginning of a particularly long stretch of inclined road, Annalee said, “Lydia, can we stop soon? I think the skin on my feet has rubbed off completely. How far are we going to walk today?”

The two-lane road rose at a gradual slope, joining the lightly forested area on each side near the top of a low rise. “Let’s walk to the crest of this hill at least. From the top, we should be able to find a safe place to rest for a while. We still have a long way to go, and blisters won’t help us, so if we need to work on your feet, we should do it now,” Lydia said. She definitely felt the fatigue growing in her own legs.

“No, let’s keep walking. I’m afraid if I stop I’ll never get started again,” Annalee said.

“Try to keep your mind off of it. Let’s talk about something else. What would you be most excited to find when we get there? And be realistic, no asking for a million dollars or anything like that.”

“That’s easy, a six-hour foot massage,” Annalee said.

“Why limit it to six? I think I would like an endless supply of hot, running water,” Lydia said with a wistful smile on her face.

“Candy,” Ava said. “Some sugar would definitely help me get to the top of this never-ending hill.”

“Gummy bears,” Lydia added, almost as wistfully as she had when she mentioned hot water.

“Mostly, I just want to see my dad,” Ava said, taking the conversation in a decidedly more serious direction.

“He is going to be so excited to see you, sweetie,” Lydia replied.

“I miss his smile and his smell. I even miss his awful music!” Ava laughed.

“Awful? It can’t be that bad. Does he have a thing for Christmas music or show tunes or something?” Lydia asked.

Ava chuckled, and with a sheepish grin, said, “No, nothing that bad. He mostly listens to these dusty old songs that no one has heard, in like, a million years. He calls it
old time music
. It’s definitely old. I used to groan every time he put it on, but after a while, I started not to mind it so much. He always told me that the haunted lyrics and simple melodies could get into your blood. I never told him, but I started to understand what he meant.”

“You can tell him when you see him,” Lydia said, simultaneously trying to lighten the mood and feeling guilty about bolstering the little girl’s hopes too much. “Do you remember any of the songs?”

“Some. There were a few he used to sing to me sometimes, like when I couldn’t sleep or something,” Ava said.

Annalee, who had been lost in thought about her own parents, spoke up, “Will you sing one? I’d like that.”

While Ava sang from time to time, it was always in private. She suddenly felt self-conscious about the prospect of sharing something she had held so intimately. When she looked at Annalee, however, she could tell that the older girl was in pain. Ava also realized that Annalee and Lydia were essentially part of her family now, or rather she was part of theirs. Ava took a deep, steadying breath and cleared her throat.

“Sadly we sing with a tremulous breath,

As we stand by the mystical stream.

Down in the valley, the dark river of death,

And yet it’s no more than a dream”

The little girl’s voice floated on the gentle breeze like an apparition, as they listened with rapt attention.

“Only a dream, only a dream,

Of glory beyond the dark stream.

How peaceful the slumber, how happy the waking,

Where death is only a dream.”

Ava’s striking voice, both haunted and beautiful, was mesmerizing as she sang the poignant old song. Despite the fact that Ava was only eleven years old, Lydia heard a far wiser, more experienced voice coming from within the little girl. How badly she wished it could all be a dream! The tender song forced her thoughts to Lonnie, and that horrible night at Enoch Hill. Although she fought to hold back the surging tide of emotions welling up within her, a lone tear managed to escape. As she stared straight ahead, trying to focus on anything but the painful memories in her mind, she saw a lone figure emerge in the distance. Lydia gasped, and her heart skipped a beat.
It…can’t be. That’s impossible.
The shimmering waves of heat radiating off the pavement made it difficult to see the details clearly, and she blinked several times as though worried it might merely be a mirage. In a nearly inaudible voice, Lydia said, “I’m coming, baby. I’m coming.”

“Over the turbid and onrushing tide,

Does the light of eternity gleam.

And the ransomed, the darkness and storm shall out ride,

To wake with glad smiles from their dream.”

Smiling weakly, Lydia desperately wanted to run to him, but found herself utterly drained. After walking another twenty feet, she was comforted by the fact that the figure had not simply vanished into thin air. As if seeking confirmation that she was not imagining things, Lydia turned toward Annalee, who appeared to be lost in her own thoughts, oblivious to the man ahead of them. Movement to the side of the young girl captured Lydia’s attention, forcefully wrenching her mind back to the present. With the spell broken, her eyes took in the details of a half dozen infected things shambling toward them out of the woods. Darting in and out, Ava’s haunting words swirled just above the low, droning moans that complimented them perfectly.

The sickly miasma of death reached Lydia just as Ava finished the song’s last verse. Unaccompanied, the groans of the infected lingered on, rising in volume as if in protest to the song’s conclusion. The uncertain smile that had formed on her face faltered as her brain processed all the information it was receiving. Lydia’s chest tightened as she turned back to the man ahead of her—to Lonnie. Only now the thing staggering toward her no longer bore any resemblance to her husband. Skin slack and eyes lifeless, the thing looked human in shape only.

Frantically, Lydia spun around and saw that they had wandered into the largest horde any of them had ever seen. Interspersed amongst the trees lining both sides of the road, the number of infected was such that it seemed more appropriate to say that there was a forest scattered throughout the horde, rather than the other way around. Similarly, at least thirty infected came into view beyond the lone figure she had mistaken for Lonnie. 

Shaking off the fear threatening to choke her, Lydia swallowed down her rising panic, and hissed, “Girls! Quiet! Look!” She pointed toward the closest of the infected to emphasize her point.

Annalee let out a muted whimper, and Ava’s face went pale.

Desperately, Lydia tried to think of any option that did not end in agonizing death. Once again, she thought back to the first night at Enoch Hill, and she considered sacrificing herself so that the girls might have a chance to escape. Even that extreme measure seemed futile.
This is it. There is no way out of this; no waking up to find it’s only a dream. I have failed them.

As the infected converged on them from both sides, Ava noticed there were only a few on the road behind them, having trundled down the sloping walls from the forest above. She watched more and more emerge, only to tumble over the edge to the road below. With the number of infected growing steadily, the odds of successful retreat dwindled considerably with every passing second. The words scrawled on the wall of the tree house played through Ava’s mind, urging her to act.
Never give up.

“This way! We have to go back. It’s our only chance,” Ava said, already heading back down the sloping road.

Lydia sensed Ava was right, and she and Annalee fell in line behind her. Ava wove through the steadily tightening mesh of infected bodies as she tried to work out what to do next. Realizing that they were well on their way to becoming trapped, Lydia said, “If we don’t get off this road, they will surrounded us. We should climb to the high ground so we only have to worry about the ones in front of us.”

Before she finished speaking, Lydia heard a grunt of exertion followed by a dull thwack. She glanced around and saw Ava’s machete buried deep in the base of an infected mail carrier’s neck. The blow rendered its right arm useless, as the well-honed blade severed the nerves near the shoulder. Its left arm was tangled in the mailbag still hanging around its neck. The infected thing’s teeth snapped together, and it pushed forward trying desperately to reach the little girl.

Ava gripped the machete’s handle with both hands, barely managing to hold the mail carrier at bay. Feeling her muscles begin to quiver, she knew she faced a losing battle. When the handle began to slip from her sweaty palms, Ava closed her eyes, unwilling to watch the horror about to unfold. The machete was jerked out of her hands as Ava was knocked to the ground. She heard a shriek and a sharp
thwack
, as she waited for its teeth to tear into her flesh. Cool liquid splattered her face but no pain accompanied it. Her eyes finally opened, and she saw Annalee standing over the mail woman, with her gore-soaked machete raised high above her head in a two-handed grip. She looked nothing like the sweet girl Ava knew as she brought the blade down hard, cleaving the thing’s skull.

Ava scuttled over to the postal worker and wrenched her own machete free. Annalee helped her to her feet, and they ran after Lydia, ducking under reaching arms as they went. Although the terrain along side the road sloped upward, it was relatively easy for them climb using hands and knees.

Near the top, an infected man weighing at least three hundred pounds toppled over the edge, taking Lydia by surprise. The sound of several unfortunate saplings snapping told her that something big was heading toward them. She shouted a warning to the girls behind her as she lunged out of the path of the oncoming manslide. Upon hitting the bottom, his obese body momentarily scrunched into an amoeboid mass before rebounding into a shape roughly approximating that of a man.

Seconds later, Lydia scrambled over the edge of the embankment. As the closest of the infected was only twenty feet away, she quietly urged the girls to hurry. When they crawled up next to her, Lydia scanned the area for a way out and was relieved to see a hole through the mass of infected in the woods. A deadfall created by a large, old growth beech tree that had been struck by lightning formed a natural barrier nearly seventy feet long. Pointing to the downed tree, Lydia said, “There! Go! I’ll be right beside you.”